• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.58-61
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• 1999

Cor triatriatum is a rare anomaly in old age. This is a case report of a 66 year-old man who had been preoperatively diagnosed as coronary artery disease and cor triatriatum. The operative findings revealed that the left atrium had an intra-atrial septum with one small opening 10mm in diameter, the upper compartment received both pulmonary veins, and there were no other anomalies like anormalous pulmonary venous connection or atrial septal defect. The patient successfully underwent open heart surgery ; the anomalous septum was resected, the mitral valve was reconstructed using French technique with Carpentier-Edwards ring, and coronary artery bypass grafting was performed.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.102-107
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• 1993

Human atria play an important role in extracellular homeostasis through release of atrial natriuretic peptide. To evaluate the relationship between plasma level of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and many changes which can develop during extracorporeal circulation, we studied 16 patients undergoing, 12 cardiac operation and 4 thoracic operation. Plasma level of ANP in cardiac patients group was significantly higher and more changeable than thoracic patients group. After aortic cross clamp release, blood was filled at right atrium and right atrial pressure was rapidly increased. At the same time, plasma level of ANP was rised suddenly. Increase of ANP level was correlated (p<0.05) with the increase of total bypass time, but was not correlated statistical with aortic cross clamp time. ANP level did not fall rapidly after aortic cross clamp while both atria were completely empty. This result was explained by intraoperative hypothermia at that time, which can inactivate plasmal endopeptidase and catalytic receptors of ANP. The ANP level of atrial fibrillation group in cardiac patients were generally higher than normal sinus group, but there was no statistical correlation.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.347-352
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• 1999

Background: The atrial fibrillation in patients with mitral valvular heart disease is frequently converted to sinus rhythm after the mitral valve surgery. This sinus restoration implies an important meaning in that it not only helps postoperative convalescence in patients with unstable hemodynamics but also reduces the rate of postoperative thromboembolism. Material and Method: We retrospectively analyzed 184 patients who received mitral valve surgery from June 1986 to December 1996 to investigate the trend of rhythm change following mitral valve surgery and thus to clarify the predisposing factors of postoperative sinus rhythm conversion and its maintenance. Result: The sinus rhythm was restored after the operation in 54 out of 139 patients with atrial fibrillation preoperatively(38.8%). However, the atrial fibrillation recurred in 41 patients at the time of discharge showing a recurrence rate of 75.9 percent. The mean duration of sinus rhythm in patients with eventual atrial fibrillation recurrence was 8.2${\pm}$5.9 days. Only 15 patients were in sinus rhythm at the time of late follow-up with the mean follow-up period of 84.4${\pm}$34.7 months. While the age, duration of symptoms, duration of atrial fibrillation, left atral size, and pulmonary artery pressure were thought to be the predisposing factors for sinus conversion after the operation, only the duration of atrial fibrillation and ejection fraction were considered risk factors for the recurrence of the atrial fibrillation following sinus conversion. Conclusion: This study suggests that the early operation is mandatory for the satisfactory result regarding postoperative rhythm. Moreover, additional operative measure in adjunct to the intervention of mitral valve should be considered for the maintenance of restored sinus rhythm as reflected by high postoperative recurrence rate of atrial fibrillation.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.339-345
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• 1979

Mitral valve disease is the most common disease of the acquired heart diseases, and atrial septal defect is also one of common congenital heart diseases. Coexistence of these two lesions is rare, but of great hemodynamic interest. Among 443 cases with mitral valve disease and 90 cases with atrial septal defect experienced in the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital, there were 6 cases with atrial septal defect complicated by mitral valve disease. 1. Of the 6 patients, four were female and two were male. The age was ranged from 18 to 46. 2. Atrial septal defect was ostium secundum type in all cases, and the mitral valvular lesions were regurgitation in four and stenosis in two. Type II ventricular septal defect was also combined in one of the cases. 3. The atrial septal defect was corrected by, primary closure and the mitral valve was replaced with the prosthetic or bioprosthetic valve in all cases. The combined ventricular septal defect was closed using Teflon felt patch. 4. The operative result was good except in one who was expired of bacterial endocarditis 4 months after hospital discharge.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.666-671
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• 1984

During a fire-year period from March 1979 to February 1984, 559 patients underwent surgical treatment for rheumatic mitral valve disease at Seoul National University Hospital. Left atrial thrombus was found at surgery in 74 of these patients, an incidence of 13.2%. This report outlines the surgical experience with these seventy-four patients. They were 32 men and 42 women, and their age ranged between 23 and 57 with mean of 42 years old. All except one had the findings of atrial fibrillation on the preoperative electrocardiogram. Ten [13.5%] had experienced embolic events before surgery. A history of one or more episodes of cardiac failure requiring digitalis and diuretics was noted in all patients Nineteen were associated with the aortic and/or tricuspid valve disease and closed mitral commissurotomy had been performed previously in four patients. The average cardiac index was 2.68L/min/M2 [1.59 to 3.47 L/min/M2] The mean systolic pulmonary artery pressure was 57mmHg [26 to 120 mmHg]and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure 21.5 mmHg [12 to 40 mmHg]. There were no significant hemodynamic findings to suggest the presence of the left atrial thrombus. Operative mortality was acceptable with two early deaths [2.7%]. The follow-up of the hospital survivors has shown excellent functional status.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.37 no.9
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• pp.768-773
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• 2004

Failure of mitral valve repair sometimes may be ascribed to severe or progressive alteration of the subvalvar apparatus. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of new chordae formation on mitral repair. Material and Method: From March 1997 to february 1999, 26 patients underwent mitral valve repairs with new chordae formation, we compared the symptoms and echocardiographic findings checked at preoperative state, and intraoperative period, discharge, and their last OPD visit. There were 45 male, and 11 female patients, and their mean age was 51.2$\pm$43.4 years. Etiology of the lesions was degenerative (18), rheumatic (6), infective (1) and ischemic (1). Chordal lesions were caused by rupture (18), elongation (6), and a combination of two causes (2). Associated lesions included atrial septal defect (2), tricuspid insufficiency (7), aortic insufficiency(4), and a combination of previous two factors (2). The number of mean artificial chordae was 3.6$\pm$1.6. Annuloplasty was per-formed in all cases. The CPB time was 182,1$\pm$63.7 minutes and the ACC time was 133.1$\pm$45.6 minutes. Aver-age follow up period was 49.2$\pm$7.1 months. Result: There was no early death. Early reoperation was performed in bud patients, one patient received mitral valve replacement because of an abnormality of annuloplasty and ano-ther received pericardiostomy due to postoperative pericardial effusion. During the follow up of 49.2$\pm$7.1 moths, there was no late mortality. Postoperative NYHA functional class checked at last OPD visit was class I in 22 patients (88%), class II in 2 (8%), and class III in 1 (4%). Regarding the late echocardiogram MR was absent in 20 patients (78%), 1 in 4 (15%), and II in 1 (4%). The postrepair mitral valve area was 2.2$\pm$0.35 $\textrm{cm}^2$ Conclusion: This study suggests that mitral valve repair using new chordae formation provides good early and mid term survivals and functional improvement. We think that the artificial chorda formation with polytetrafluoroethylene suture might be safe and effective technique for mitral valve repair.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.11
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• pp.1207-1211
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• 1996

During the recent 10 years, ten patients with ruptured sinus of Valsalva were operated on our institute. Eight patients were congenital but two patients were proved acquired lesions due to bacterial endocarditis. Coexistent cardiac lesions were 4 aortic regurgitations, 2 atrial septal defects, 1 ventricular septal defect, 1 tricuspid regurgitation and 1 mitral regurgitation. In all cases, aneurysms of sinus of Valsalva arose from the right coronary sinus, and they ruptured to right ventricle in 8 patients and to right atrium in 2 patients. We preferred double approach, through both the aorta and the involver. cardiac chamber, The repair of ruptured site was performed Dacron patch graft in 8 patients and simple closure in 2 patients. Operative results were very good in all cases with no surgical mortality.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.59-65
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• 1998

Atrial fibrillation is the most common of all cardiac arrhythmias. It is associated with significant morbidity and mortality and is frequently resistant to medical therapy. On the experimental and clinical study, the presence of macroreentrant circuits and the absence of either microreentrant circuits or evidence of atrial automaticity suggests that atrial fibrillation should be amenable to surgical ablation. The results of the maze III procedure are associated with a higher incidence of postoperative sinus rhythm, improved long-term sinus node function, fewer pacemaker requirements, less arrhythmia recurrence, and improved long-term atrial transport function. We had experienced 4 patients with chronic atrial fibrillation. For the first time, Hioki procedure had been performed in the first patient with ASD and atrial fibrillation, regular sinus rhythm showed on postoperative EKG, but junctional rhythm and bradycardia developed postoperative 3 years. The maze III procedure for the rest with mitral valvular disease and atrial fibrillation had been done, followed by regular sinus rhythm for 2 patients and atrial fibrillation for 1 patient, managed with amiodarone, on immediate postoperative state. Echocardiogram documented good contraction of right atrium and hardly contraction of left atrium for 2 patients with regular sinus rhythm postoperative 3 months.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.255-261
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• 1999

Background: Atrial fibrillation is one of the most prevalent of all arrhythmias and in up to 79% of the patients with mitral valve disease. This study examined whether the atrial fibrillation that occur in patients with mitral valve operation could be eliminated by a concommitant maze operation without cryoablation. Material and Method: From May 1997 to April 1998, 14 patients with atrial fibrillation associated with mitral valve disease underwent Maze III operation without cryoablation. Preoperatively there were 6 men and 8 women with an average age of 46.2${\pm}$10.7 years. Eleven patients had mitral stenosis, and three had mitral insufficiency. The associated heart diseases were aortic valve disease in 4, tricuspid valve regurgitation in 1 and ASD in 2. Using transthoracic echocardiography, the mean left atrial diameters was 54.7${\pm}$5.3 mm and thrombi were found in the left atrium of 2 patients. Postoperatively the ratio between the peak speed of the early filling wave and that of the atrial contraction wave (A/E ratio) was determined from transmitral flow measurement. Operations were mitral valve replacement in 13 including 4 aortic valve replacements, 1 DeVega annuloplasty and 2 ASD closures. Maze III operation was performed in 1 patient. Result: Five patients (38%) had recurred atrial fibrillation, which was reversed with flecainide or amiodarone at the average time of postoperative 38.8${\pm}$23.5 days. Postoperative complications were postoperative transient junctional rhythm in 6, transient atrial fibrillation in 5, reoperation for bleeding in 3, postpericardiotomy syndrome(1), unilateral vocal cord palsy(1), postoperative psychosis(1), and myocardial infarction(1). Postoperatively A/E ratio was 0.43${\pm}$0.22 and A wave found in 9(64%) patients. 3 to 14 months postoperatively (average follow- up, 8.1 months), all of patients had normal sinus rhythm and 9(64%) patients had left atrial contraction and 11(79%) patients were not on a regimen of antiarrhythmic medication. Conclusion: We conclude that Maze III operation without cryoablation is an effective surgical treatment in atrial fibrillation associated with the mitral valve disease.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.40 no.12
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• pp.859-862
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• 2007

A hemangioma at a cardiac valve leaflet is a rare finding. There are only five reported cases in the medical literature and no prior case reported in Korea. A previously healthy 45-year-old woman presented with an acute episode of numbness in the left side of the face and hand. Although no definite abnormalities were found on the neurological examination and testing the echocardiography revealed an echogenic mass in the anterior mitral valve leaflet. The tumor was excised en bloc from the leaflet and the defect was repaired with an autologous pericardial patch. Pathology examination confirmed the mass to be a hemangioma of the valve leaflet. Here we report this case and review the medical literature.